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Blue Jays position primer: the shoo-ins, hopefuls, and long shots (Eh Game)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=14cem7qjo/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/blue-jays-position-primer--the-shoe-ins--hopefuls--and-long-shots-at-every-position-151538836.html
DUNEDIN, Fla. – For a team considered to be a postseason contender, the Toronto Blue Jays have a lot of questions still to be answered this spring. A combination of new faces, injuries, and depth – or lack thereof – means there are numerous battles taking place this spring. The Blue Jays opened spring training more than a week ago but the task of whittling down to a 25-man roster really begins Tuesday with the beginning of the Grapefruit League schedule. With so many positions on the team still up for grabs, here’s a look at the shoo-ins, hopefuls, and long shots at every position. Catcher : The Blue Jays brought in Russell Martin to be the everyday catcher. He’s a three-time All Star and has averaged 129 games a year over his career. But the position isn’t without question marks. Dioner Navarro , last year’s starter, is still here and eager for playing time. Last week he made it known he would like to be traded somewhere he could play more. He will relieve Martin when he needs a rest and will also DH until he’s inevitably traded. Then there’s Josh Thole . He’s been R.A. Dickey’s personal catcher since 2010, but outside of that doesn’t offer much. He’s been in the negative in WAR the last two seasons in Toronto. Martin wants to catch Dickey and has been working with him so far in spring training. The Blue Jays carried three catchers on their roster for much of last season. If Martin can handle Dickey – and Dickey trusts him – there won’t be much need for Thole. “I feel like I can do it and as long as Dickey is comfortable out there on the mound, that’s what is most important,” Martin said. “Hopefully he’s OK with the way I’m handling him right now.” First base : In 2014, seven different players made at least three starts at first for the Jays. Expect a similar rotating cast in 2015. Edwin Encarnacion will likely see the most time there, as he did last year, but he’s aging and missed 33 games last year with a quadriceps injury. He will take plenty of breaks and DH. Justin Smoak , Daric Barton, Dayan Viciedo, and perhaps Danny Valencia will battle for time there too. Smoak was signed as a free agent, and Barton is a non-roster invite and there may only be room on the roster for one of them. Barton has been up and down with the Athletics his entire career and is a better defensive player than offensive. Smoak is a former highly-touted prospect who is now with his third team at 28. He’s a career .224/.309/.380 hitter and -4.9 dWAR. Viciedo is a wild card. The Blue Jays signed him on Sunday to a minor-league deal to add depth to the outfield with Michael Saunders injured. But general manager Alex Anthopoulos said he will get a look at first base as well. He has played just 72 innings at first base in his career. Valencia is a near-lock to be on the final 25-man roster thanks to his ability to play as many as four different positions. Second base : It’s a mess. There are as many as five players in camp who could conceivably open the season on the roster. Manager John Gibbons admitted as much. “Second base is up in the air,” he said. Pop quiz: Who played the most innings at second base for the Blue Jays in 2014? It was Munenori Kawasaki, he of the career .235 average and 1.4 career WAR. He’s back in camp in 2015 as a non-roster invite and battling for the job. Also in the discussion are Ryan Goins and Steve Tolleson who were both among the seven different players who saw time at second in 2014. Neither offered much offensively but are solid defensively, especially Goins. And there’s Maicer Izturis . The 34 year old is in the last of a three-year deal that pays him $3 million a year. He’s also coming off a knee injury that caused him to miss 149 games last year. When he played regularly in 2013 he was below replacement-level offensively and defensively. But because of his age and contract status he’ll likely earn a roster spot. Finally, there’s Devon Travis, the 24-year-old prospect acquired in November in a trade with the Tigers. He has not yet seen the big leagues but was rated the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect. “We want to see Travis,” Gibbons said. “We want to see what he is going into spring training. He could come into spring training and win the job, if not he'll go to AAA.” Travis is an intriguing prospect but with no major-league experience and with options, seems destined for the minors at least to begin the season. There are no easy answers and no sure things at second base. Expect another revolving door of players in 2015. Tue, 03 Mar 2015 07:15:37 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,c558df02-62fe-3bb2-9a1b-1c136f26a3d1-l:1http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13101e26h/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/leading-off-whats-deck-today-spring-training-070621134--mlb.html
What to watch for today at spring training:Mon, 02 Mar 2015 23:06:21 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,1565235d-52a9-3c92-953a-16dc67c16b14-l:1Martin looks ahead to new chapter with Blue Jays (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=12pcedfri/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/martin-looks-ahead-chapter-blue-jays-220305528--mlb.html
Russell Martin totally enjoyed his days in Pittsburgh. Two years, two playoff appearances after helping transform the also-ran Pirates into postseason contenders. Now with Toronto, the three-time All-Star catcher will soon get a look from across the diamond at what he left behind. The Blue Jays open exhibition play Tuesday when they host the Pirates.Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:03:05 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,4e869a55-beb9-3601-ad05-932ee7887273-l:1Blue Jays boost outfield depth, sign Dayan Viciedo (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13645gi6k/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/blue-jays-boost-outfield-depth-sign-dayan-viciedo-205816720--mlb.html
The Toronto Blue Jays boosted their outfield depth Sunday, signing Dayan Viciedo to a minor league contract and saying he might be able to earn a spot at another position. The deal came a few days after Toronto outfielder Michael Saunders tore cartilage in his knee when he stepped on a sprinkler while chasing a ball. The 25-year-old Viciedo hit 21 home runs for the Chicago White Sox last season while batting .231 with 58 RBIs. ''He's got some power, a right-handed bat,'' general manager Alex Anthopoulos said.Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:09:50 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,ca1b8ad0-d1ec-3017-9f84-6313b3449bde-l:1Blue Jays add Dayan Viciedo to replenish outfield depth (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13tcia24t/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/blue-jays-add-dayan-viciedo-to-replenish-outfield-depth--020219303.html
Sat, 28 Feb 2015 19:32:52 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,80159cee-0d0d-39f8-8a0e-f5be25362bec-l:1Now with Blue Jays, Johan Santana aims for another comeback (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=136c520r1/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/now-blue-jays-johan-santana-aims-another-comeback-223010766--mlb.html
When Johan Santana walked into the Blue Jays' clubhouse for the first time early Saturday morning, a surprise was waiting inside his locker. Taped in the upper left hand corner, directly above his blue No. 57 jersey and cap, was a photograph of the celebration from Santana's no-hitter with the New York Mets in June 2012, arguably the finest moment in his baseball career. ''I know exactly who did that,'' Santana said with a smile. For Santana, after two major surgeries on his throwing shoulder and a ruptured Achilles tendon he sustained with Baltimore during extended spring training last June, the picture served as an emotional reminder of his distinguished past.Sat, 28 Feb 2015 16:20:38 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,a85ed29c-0083-3078-9159-f10f3a055106-l:1http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=136ej8rdv/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/newcomer-anthony-gose-ready-going-tigers-outfield-000132762--mlb.html
He plans to change that this year, his first with the Detroit Tigers. Gose was acquired in an offseason trade with Toronto. The Tigers want him to take over the center field spot in cavernous Comerica Park from Austin Jackson, who was dealt away last summer. The 24-year-old Gose batted only .226 in 94 games for the Blue Jays last season.Sat, 28 Feb 2015 16:01:32 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,3e1cd0a2-5ca4-3e8f-8826-2a67722b7d8f-l:1Johan Santana: ‘As long as my arm’s still attached, I’m gonna give it a chance’ (Eh Game)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=147r42e39/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/johan-santana---as-long-as-my-arm-s-still-attached--i-m-gonna-give-it-a-chance-215100091.html
Sat, 28 Feb 2015 13:50:59 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,de9846ff-4f55-37f1-a137-6c2b0c9a28cf-l:1Video: Jose Bautista would trade personal stats for team success (Eh Game)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13p9b76v5/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/video--jose-bautista-would-trade-personal-stats-for-team-success-144303860.html
DUNEDIN, Fla. – Thanks to the Kansas City Royals’ miracle playoff drive to the World Series last season, baseball’s longest active playoff drought now belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays. It has been 22 years since Joe Carter hit his World Series-winning walkoff homer off Mitch Williams and the Blue Jays have not been to the postseason since. It’s actually the longest playoff drought in professional sports, and team brass, fans, and players want to see it end. None more than All-Star slugger Jose Bautista. Bautista is the longest serving current Blue Jay, about to enter his eighth season with the club. In that time he’s been a part of four winning seasons but the team has never finished higher than third in the tough America League East. He has also become a perennial MVP-candidate during his time in Toronto, having gone to five consecutive All-Star Games and twice leading the majors in home runs. But during his first appearance at Blue Jays spring training on Friday Bautista said he would give it all up for a taste of the postseason. The Blue Jays fancy themselves contenders in the AL East this season, but will in fact need Bautista to have a great year to end the drought, especially with their outfield recently being depleted . Bautista is also in the last year of his five-year deal with the Blue Jays, though there is a team option for 2016. But Bautista, 34, wants to win now and shake the title of best active hitter never to make the playoffs . He has been vocal in the past about Blue Jays brass not doing enough to get them over the hump. [ Baseball is back! Check out Yahoo For Spring Training for great spring training pics. ] The Blue Jays made a big move this offseason when they acquired third baseman Josh Donaldson from the Oakland Athletics. Bautista approves, and sees it as a move that could help the Jays take the next step. With Donaldson on board and a healthy Edwin Encarnacion, the Blue Jays have a potent 3-4-5 in the batting order. If it all works out, Bautista may be able to do less of the heavy lifting and get his wish for a postseason berth. More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports : Ian Denomme is an editor and writer for Yahoo Sports. Email him at denomme@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter.Sat, 28 Feb 2015 06:43:02 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,76c14142-2065-332e-b3c4-90ef42a69ad1-l:1Toronto OF Saunders could return in April after knee surgery (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=1355g70ob/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/toronto-saunders-could-return-april-knee-surgery-001301061--mlb.html
Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Michael Saunders had surgery on his left knee Friday and could return to the team sooner than previously expected, perhaps in mid-April. Saunders tore cartilage Wednesday when he stepped on a sprinkler while shagging fly balls on a side field at spring training. Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that Saunders could be sidelined only five to six weeks. ''We'll see how he recovers,'' Anthopoulos said.Fri, 27 Feb 2015 16:25:38 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,52358b8d-a9ea-38ad-9f94-a669b0c89f25-l:1Diminutive Marcus Stroman a budding superstar, and entrepreneur (Eh Game)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13o1emdvc/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/diminutive-marcus-stroman-a-budding-superstar--and-entrepreneur-235634620.html
DUNEDIN, Fla. – Marcus Stroman appears poised to become a major-league star. After a breakout rookie campaign in 2014 the Toronto Blue Jays are putting a lot of hopes in the 23-year-old righthander, but if baseball for some reason doesn’t work out, he’s already jumped into the business world. Earlier this year Stroman trademarked the phrase “Height Doesn’t Measure Heart.” For Stroman, it’s both a motivational saying and a personal brand. His website is already selling HDMH merchandise and there’s more to come. While it’s a personal mantra for the diminutive pitcher, he also wants to empower other undersized athletes - and inspire kids or anyone else told they can’t do something because of their size. “There’s a bunch of undersized athletes out there,” Stroman said. “I’m trying to just get that message out there. I’ve seen it, people get discouraged because someone will say that they’re too short to play a position. Or too small to do this, or too small to do that. “I think it’s had a pretty positive impact already. I’ve interacted with some fans and young athletes through Twitter and Instagram. They seem to like it and it seems to give them a bit of motivation and inspiration to be better.” While Stroman wants to motivate, it’s also a business venture. He studied sociology and business while playing baseball at Duke University and said if he wasn’t playing he believes he would be involved in sports marketing or sports business. Fri, 27 Feb 2015 15:56:33 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,89ac0220-2d83-3b9a-9ca1-3b82b00cccaa-l:1Jose Bautista would trade personal stats for a trip to the postseason (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=145ubv0bn/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/video--jose-bautista-would-trade-personal-stats-for-team-success-233944218.html
DUNEDIN, Fla. – Thanks to the Kansas City Royals’ miracle playoff drive to the World Series last season, baseball’s longest active playoff drought now belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays. It has been 22 years since Joe Carter hit his World Series-winning walkoff homer off Mitch Williams and the Blue Jays have not been to the postseason since. It’s actually the longest playoff drought in professional sports, and team brass, fans, and players want to see it end. None more than All-Star slugger Jose Bautista. Bautista is the longest-serving current Blue Jay, about to enter his eighth season with the club. In that time he’s been a part of four winning seasons but the team has never finished higher than third in the tough America League East. He has also become a perennial MVP-candidate during his time in Toronto, having gone to five consecutive All-Star Games and twice leading the majors in home runs. But during his first appearance at Blue Jays spring training on Friday Bautista said he would give it all up for a taste of the postseason. The Blue Jays fancy themselves contenders in the AL East this season, but will in fact need Bautista to have a great year to end the drought, especially with their outfield recently being depleted . Bautista is also in the last year of his five-year deal with the Blue Jays, though there is a team option for 2016. But Bautista, 34, wants to win now and shake the title of best active hitter never to make the playoffs . He has been vocal in the past about Blue Jays brass not doing enough to get them over the hump. [ Baseball is back! Check out Yahoo For Spring Training for great spring training pics. ] The Blue Jays made a big move this offseason when they acquired third baseman Josh Donaldson from the Oakland Athletics. Bautista approves, and sees it as a move that could help the Jays take the next step. With Donaldson on board and a healthy Edwin Encarnacion, the Blue Jays have a potent 3-4-5 in the batting order. If it all works out, Bautista may be able to do less of the heavy lifting and get his wish for a postseason berth. More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports : Ian Denomme is an editor and writer for Yahoo Sports. Email him at denomme@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter.Fri, 27 Feb 2015 15:39:43 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,2800de52-2935-3b3e-b590-f317d114d3d5-l:1Jose Bautista thinks new additions will help Blue Jays (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=132n52j29/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/jose-bautista-thinks-additions-help-blue-jays-233153760--mlb.html
The past few seasons have been somewhat of a disappointment for Jose Bautista. ''We haven't done a better job playing baseball, and it's led to the seasons that we've had,'' Bautista said Friday.Fri, 27 Feb 2015 15:31:53 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,f35cb446-f410-3ef0-af8a-5bedccc850a8-l:1Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup (Reuters)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=12r4rjrjj/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/baseball-major-league-baseball-roundup-003445764--mlb.html
Los Angeles Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto shed no new light on reported off-field issues involving outfielder Josh Hamilton and said he was home rehabbing from shoulder surgery. "I'm not going to get into any kind of situation or information regarding Josh Hamilton," Dipoto said Thursday in Tempe, Ariz. "He's not here in camp with us. He is at home rehabbing from a surgery and I'm going to leave it at that." Hamilton met with MLB officials in New York about an undisclosed disciplinary issue on Wednesday. -- Masahiro Tanaka intensified his workout at a Thursday morning bullpen session in Tampa, Fla., and the New York Yankees liked what they saw from their right-handed ace.Thu, 26 Feb 2015 16:34:45 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,84a2ffcc-4b86-348f-aaa1-62305ff145cb-l:1Blue Jays sign LHP Johan Santana, hope for return to majors (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=1316959fj/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/blue-jays-sign-lhp-johan-santana-hope-return-233736474--mlb.html
The Toronto Blue Jays have signed two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana to a minor league contract, hoping the former ace can make it back to the majors. The Blue Jays announced the deal Thursday and invited him to big league spring training. He last pitched in the majors in 2012 with the New York Mets and has undergone two operations on his left shoulder in recent years. Santana was in Baltimore's minor league system last year and tore his left Achilles tendon in June.Thu, 26 Feb 2015 15:58:39 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,15fe9871-cb95-3e65-a31e-375a67a0461d-l:1Johan Santana gets another chance, signs with Blue Jays (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13spqut44/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/johan-santana-gets-another-chance--signs-with-blue-jays-232151735.html
Thu, 26 Feb 2015 15:41:20 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,2daf49e8-c533-39a2-b816-84a53e3ba9de-l:1History shows Aaron Sanchez can be successful as reliever, starter - or both (Eh Game)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=145mpltog/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/history-shows-aaron-sanchez-can-be-successful-as-reliever--starter---or-both-211853243.html
DUNEDIN, Fla. – The Toronto Blue Jays have no idea what to do with Aaron Sanchez. The lanky, 22-year-old pitcher will be an important part of the team in 2015, there’s no doubt, but whether the Jays’ prized prospect joins the starting rotation or bullpen is still very much to be decided. It’s a good problem for Alex Anthopoulos and John Gibbons. The Blue Jays have enough faith in Sanchez that they believe he can do either job with aplomb. The tough question facing the club is where they need him most. The rotation is set one-through-four (R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, Marcus Stroman and Drew Hutchinson) but there’s a big hole in the fifth spot which Sanchez, a starter by trade, could fill. But the bullpen is full of questions and Gibbons has even said Sanchez could be the team’s closer. The Blue Jays brass are so unsure where to put him they often have him in both positions in the same breath. “If Sanchez ends up in the bullpen, which could happen, then we feel good,” Gibbons said. “I think we’d all like to see him as a starter and see what he does – we think he can be one of the better starters in baseball. But if he’s in the bullpen it answers a few questions. He could be so valuable to the bullpen.” The Blue Jays have said they will decide his fate by mid-March, and he is being stretched out for the time being. Gibbons said Thursday that Sanchez may get the start when the Blue Jays open their Grapefruit League schedule on Tuesday. There’s also a lingering question of development and doing what’s best for Sanchez. But history shows pitchers don’t necessarily need to be labeled simply a starter or reliever and be set there for their careers. Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley comes to mind immediately. He spent the first 12 years of his career as a starter with the Indians, Red Sox, and Cubs, winning 151 games and twice being named an All-Star. In 1987 at age 32, Eck was traded to the Athletics and became a reliever. He saved 390 games, was an All-Star four more times, and won both the American League Cy Young and MVP award in 1992. I think we’d all like to see him as a starter and see what he does – we think he can be one of the better starters in baseball — John Gibbons, Blue Jays manager. Eckersley is an extreme example of having great success at both spots, certainly the exception to the rule. But the Blue Jays should feel safe knowing that switching isn’t out of the question, be it for need or if one position doesn’t work out. It has for plenty of others. C.J. Wilson made six starts as a rookie with the Angles in 2005, with little success. He went 0-5 with a double-digit ERA and didn’t make another start for five seasons. But in between he became an effective reliever, picking up 51 saves and striking out 231 batters in 232.2 innings. The Angles sent him back to the rotation in 2010 and since then he’s twice been an All-Star and averaged 33 starts and 15 wins over those five seasons. Thu, 26 Feb 2015 13:18:59 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,c4011d5d-640f-36dd-9563-8101e3669df5-l:1Jays outfielder Saunders injures knee, likely out until July (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13966fi3a/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/jays-michael-saunders-injures-knee-injury-until-july-141546784--mlb.html
Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Michael Saunders could be sidelined until around the All-Star break after stepping on a sprinkler while shagging fly balls and tearing cartilage in his left knee. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said Thursday the injury occurred a day earlier and is expected to require surgery. Saunders will seek a second opinion before making a decision.Thu, 26 Feb 2015 13:13:12 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,0a33da82-334b-38eb-ade0-be851cfab403-l:1Blue Jays lose Saunders to left knee injury (AFP)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=12t2mc2ec/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/blue-jays-lose-saunders-left-knee-injury-200514832--mlb.html
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders is expected to be sidelined until the Major League Baseball All-Star Game break in July because of a knee injury, the team announced Thursday. Saunders, a 28-year-old Canadian, suffered the injury when he stepped on a soft patch of grass surrounding the head of a sprinkler while chasing a fly ball at batting practice on Wednesday. Doctors said Saunders, who reported early for workouts to the Blue Jays' Florida camp for an early start on pre-season preparations, suffered a torn left meniscus. The Blue Jays obtained Saunders from Seattle in an off-season deal for pitcher J.A. Happ and had hoped he would become Toronto's starting leftfielder.Thu, 26 Feb 2015 12:05:14 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,20215d96-cc88-3c6c-a2c5-ee127a86c504-l:1Blue Jays lose Saunders to freak injury – who takes over in outfield? (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=14ba4ik19/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/blue-jays-lose-saunders-to-freak-injury-–-who-takes-over-in-outfield-155517777.html
Thu, 26 Feb 2015 07:55:15 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,657daf06-9f9d-3ac6-87ad-6fa980fb6bfd-l:1Adam Lind says Blue Jays will smile more without Colby Rasmus (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=142ov8l55/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/adam-lind-says-blue-jays-will-smile-more-without-colby-rasmus-111335222.html
Thu, 26 Feb 2015 03:56:25 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,f95d0605-fd3d-36d9-a659-c21c86a6e8e3-l:1http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=12qillib3/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/ortiz-pace-play-fines-might-run-money-190511522--mlb.html
David Ortiz has a deliberate routine at the plate. ''I might run out of money,'' Ortiz said during a colorful rant Wednesday about the new pace-of-play rule requiring hitters to keep at least one foot in the batter's box in some instances. ''I don't care what they say.'' Major League Baseball can dock him, starting May 1, up to $500 per offense. Another part of the initiative agreed to by MLB and the players' association will be the installation of clocks in stadiums to limit the length of pitching changes and between-innings breaks.Wed, 25 Feb 2015 17:19:27 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,2d8cd7cb-07f3-34d3-9467-5eb8389e265b-l:1http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13r1ie0hc/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.comhttps://sports.yahoo.com/news/players-might-want-nametags-first-full-workout-233945299--mlb.html
The Oakland Athletics might want to use nametags for the first full squad workout of the spring Wednesday. ''Your team makes nine trades involving 27 players, that probably doesn't happen often,'' manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday. Melvin had a lot of young players pass through the revolving door when he managed the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2005-09, but this is different in the sense that by comparison, the A's have more experience and therefore are more of a puzzle for Melvin to put together. First base will be the domain of Ike Davis and Billy Butler.Tue, 24 Feb 2015 15:39:45 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,bfcfc8b2-35a4-3d81-9398-ad3b4124cb65-l:1Donaldson ready for new chapter with Blue Jays (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=12mj1jlrp/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/donaldson-ready-chapter-blue-jays-204838174--mlb.html
Acquired from Oakland in November for third baseman Brett Lawrie and three other players, Donaldson was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2007 and was traded to the Athletics a year later. He spent all four of his big league seasons with Oakland, becoming an All-Star last year. ''I wasn't really expecting it,'' Donaldson said of the trade, ''But kind of after thinking about it for a little while, I really think that this is going to be more beneficial to me and my career.'' Donaldson hit .255 with a career-high 29 homers and 98 RBIs last season and likely will join Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and fellow newcomer Russell Martin in the middle of the batting order.Tue, 24 Feb 2015 12:49:42 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,6ce57967-1abb-35ca-bf3e-fb38cdd5b66b-l:1Cal Ripken Jr. denies claim that he abusively hazed Orioles rookies (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13u461o0m/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/cal-ripken-jr--denies-claim-that-he-hazed-orioles-rookies-183448469.html
Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:04:35 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,47f195c4-8b42-3dd2-856a-1ed595b94313-l:1Dodgers agree to 1-year contract with Dustin McGowan (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=12sfpftp8/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/dodgers-agree-1-contract-dustin-mcgowan-231011610--mlb.html
Adding a pitcher for the second time in three days, the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a one-year contract with right-hander Dustin McGowan. McGowan, who turns 33 on March 24, was 5-3 with a 4.17 ERA in eight starts and 45 relief appearances for Toronto last season. He has a 25-27 career record with a 4.57 ERA in seven big league seasons, all with Toronto. He became a free agent in November when Toronto declined a $4 million option, triggering a $500,000 buyout.Mon, 23 Feb 2015 15:10:11 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,367752e1-9558-38cc-899d-a252e1d312db-l:1Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro asks for trade (The Associated Press)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=130a1nvua/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/blue-jays-catcher-dioner-navarro-asks-trade-202037117--mlb.html
Russell Martin received a warm welcome from his new teammates and coaches upon his arrival at the Toronto Blue Jays' spring training complex. Not everyone inside the clubhouse, though, was elated when the Blue Jays signed the three-time All-Star catcher in November. Catcher Dioner Navarro acknowledged Monday he requested a trade shortly after the team signed Martin to a five-year, $82 million deal in November and said he has not budged from that stance. ''I asked for a trade right away and up to today, that's still my goal,'' Navarro said.Mon, 23 Feb 2015 13:32:31 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,7896e6cd-42fb-3981-81f6-922acd8bec69-l:1Dioner Navarro 'disappointed' Blue Jays haven't traded him yet (Eh Game)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=13n8f371i/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/dioner-navarro--disappointed--blue-jays-haven-t-traded-him-yet-193701001.html
Mon, 23 Feb 2015 11:30:00 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,64f8cffb-ce4b-3b10-90bb-d3123d24b0ae-l:12015 Breakdowns: Second Base (Rotoworld)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=1335h76tc/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.comhttps://sports.yahoo.com/news/2015-breakdowns-second-165100198--mlb.html
Matthew Pouliot looks at second basemen to target and those to avoid in his latest position breakdown.Mon, 23 Feb 2015 08:51:00 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,476fee8d-4bbc-31d9-86f8-65d7fdffdb80-l:1Gregg Zaun says physical abuse from Cal Ripken Jr. kept him in line (Big League Stew)http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/mlb/SIG=1488c8t6a/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/gregg-zaun-says-physical-abuse-from-cal-ripken-jr--kept-him-in-line-071143606.html
Sun, 22 Feb 2015 00:24:53 PSTmlburn:newsml:sports.yahoo,lego:19780928:top,article,b4fe5c44-ff7d-33d6-bc50-d875e7d15612-l:1Tue, 03 Mar 2015 07:15:37 PST